The Heritage Foundation

However, despite the undeniable ties to policy-making that one can draw between the Heritage Foundation and the United States government, such ties are fundamental to the classification of the foundation as an advocacy oriented think-tank. The Heritage Foundation is yet a non-governmental organization, contributing in its existence as such to its own vision of a flourishing American civil society. As a conservative body, the Heritage Foundation strives to “draw solutions to contemporary problems from the ideas, principles and traditions that make America great” with the belief that “these solutions build on our country’s economic, political and social heritage to produce a safer, stronger, freer, more prosperous America. And a safer, more prosperous, freer world.” Such methodology can be seen as paralleled in the adherence of the Heritage Foundation to its own founding beliefs in the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. In its research and educating of the American policy-elite and the American public, the Heritage Foundation demonstrates that innovation can both coexist with and complement its conservative agenda, while allowing the think-tank to remain true to its founding principles in promotion of its parent ideology.